When Dan Pelzer died in July at age 92, his children expected to sort through the ordinary keepsakes of a long life. Instead, John and Marci Pelzer uncovered an extraordinary record: a meticulous list of every book their father had read since 1962 — 3,599 titles spanning 109 single-spaced pages.
Pelzer, a Columbus social worker and former Peace Corps volunteer, began tracking his reading during his service and never stopped. Over 62 years, he averaged roughly a book a week, charting a journey that ran from James Michener and Jack Kerouac to Homer, and from “saints to sinners and prayer to prey,” as his family describes it.
“When I looked through the list, it seemed like a microcosm of his life,” John told CBS News.
“He wanted to learn about the world and learn about other people,” Marci added.
How a private list became a public inspiration
Pelzer borrowed almost all of his books from the Columbus Metropolitan Library (CML). After the family shared the reading log, library staff combed through the entries and built a public, searchable list and in-branch displays highlighting the titles he read. A short video tribute posted to social media invited patrons to “find inspiration from Dan,” and the response, library leaders say, has been “just incredible.”
“People are intentionally going up to the displays,” said CML CEO Lauren Hagan, noting that traffic to the social media post is “in the millions,” and that patrons are already checking out the books Pelzer finished over the decades.
Why it resonates
- A portrait in titles: The 109-page log functions like an autobiography told through books, revealing Pelzer’s curiosity about history, faith, travel, and the human condition.
- A model of lifelong learning: Beginning in the Peace Corps and continuing through a career in social work and fatherhood, the list shows how steady, habitual reading compounds over time.
- A love letter to public libraries: Pelzer’s practice — borrow, read, record, repeat — underscores the role of libraries as engines of discovery and equal access.
What happened, in brief
- After Pelzer’s death in July, his children discovered his reading log covering 1962–2023.
- The list includes 3,599 books across 109 single-spaced pages, about 58 books per year — roughly one a week.
- Columbus Metropolitan Library verified the titles, built a public list and displays, and shared a tribute video.
- The post drew millions of views, and patrons are checking out the featured books.
- Pelzer’s family says the attention mirrors who he was: fun, caring, intelligent, quirky, and unique.
The backstory: a life measured in pages
Pelzer’s first entries date to 1962, the year he joined the Peace Corps. From there he read broadly and eclectically, spanning literary epics and American road novels, religious texts and natural history. He wasn’t an academic, his family stresses — just a humble father with a “whale-sized appetite” for books whose steady discipline produced an accidental literary archive.
The impact: from one man’s log to a community reading list
Librarians say visitors are seeking out Pelzer’s selections, treating the list as a ready-made syllabus. Some are starting their own logs; others are sampling authors they might never have tried. For a public library system, the effect is both practical and poetic: a patron’s lifetime habit is now fueling circulation and conversation.
“I love that it’s perpetuating the conversation about who my dad was,” John said. “He was just such a fun, caring, intelligent, quirky, unique guy.”
What’s next for readers who want to follow Dan’s path
- Browse the list at CML: The library has curated Pelzer’s titles and built in-branch displays to make them easy to find.
- Start your own reading log: A simple spreadsheet or notebook can capture title, author, date finished, a one-line takeaway, and a 1–5 rating. The key is consistency.
- Read across eras and genres: Emulate Pelzer’s range — pair classics with contemporary nonfiction, mix travel, history, faith, science, and literature.
- Use your library: Request holds, explore staff picks, and ask for read-alike suggestions to keep momentum going.
The takeaway
Dan Pelzer never set out to become famous for reading. Yet his quiet habit — faithfully recorded over six decades — has become a communal reading guide and a reminder that curiosity, cultivated day after day, can leave a legacy as tangible as any keepsake. For Columbus and beyond, his list isn’t just an inventory of books; it’s a blueprint for a life lived in pursuit of understanding.
